January 19th

i've been knitting since this past october (my girlfriend ann bought me a "kit" for my birthday) and have only done 4 scarves in total. the sad part is that none of the scarves have been for ann. i'm now ready to thank her for introducing me to a craft that has brought me so much pleaure by making her something a bit more interesting than another scarf. it may be a bit out of my league but i'm thinking of a sweater dress. she has been scouring new and used clothing stores for one that fits her body and sense of style but has not had much luck. does anyone know of a simple pattern that won't drive a relative beginner to the crazy house? i would like it to be sleeveless and fall just above the knee - possibly a simple a-line number with an oversized sagging neckline. if anyone can help direct me to a source for such a pattern please respond.

January 18th

An old and unwelcome "friend" has come to visit - tendonitis. Not fun, as it means needing to stop hand knitting for a while. I do have knitting machines to work with for some projects, but they're not nearly as enjoyable - and they can't go to work with me. Guess it'll be time to catch up on my reading.

I'm getting ready to use one of my needles to open a vein!!! Does anybody else have issues with sweaters. I am doing my first one and it is driving me crazy. I hold it up to Allan every 5 minutes and say...Can you wear this yet? It is an irregular rib with a raglan open collar (Loop-D-Loop) I am shaping the armholes and all I can say is, Thank God for my knit shop girls...they are saving me. I have always thought of myself as a pretty good little knitter but I am losing confidence as this sweater progresses. I will probably be purchasing future sweaters off the rack!

January 17th

i have a project in mind for chunky yarn, though i'd like to try some new fibers. where i am now doesn't have that great of a selection of chunky yarn, so i've been looking online for a few brands i havn't tried before... the only thing i don't like about it is that pictures can be deceiving. no matter how amazing the picture is, it's hard to tell what the actual fiber will be like. i was wondering if any of you had any experience (good or bad) with these yarns?

The first is the ability to rate content. Registered members now have the option to rate content on the site. Content with the highest rating will appear in the "Best of MWK" block on the left sidebar. You'll now see "rate this" links on the front summary page and a new dropdown menu and Vote button on each individual page of content.

I've also updated the Tracker module. The voting results are now integrated and all columns are sortable.

For those of you who haven't used it, the tracker is a tool used to keep track of any content you've created or discussions you've participated in. Just click the My Account link on the left sidebar, then click Track. Everything you see in a listing is something you've either written or commented upon. With this, you can stay involved in a particular discussion even after it's moved off the home page.

I probably could have just looked for it at a yarn shop and read it for the pertinent information, but a) I didn't feel like driving around to find a yarn shop which has it in stock, and b) it's just good to support designers, since they give us great ideas to knit with. Mostly I bought it so I could sort out making Witt's Cha-Ching moebius scarf from the latest MenKnit 'zine. Now I just have to wait for my 60" Addi Turbo circ to arrive from Herrschner's. Being patient is hard work.

January 15th

I assume someone will read this, but even if not I suppose I've got to start somewhere. For lack of anything more current, I posted a pic to the galleries of most of my Xmas output - hats for all my adult loved ones. Well, all but David. I'm not entirely certain that we're past the boyfriend sweater curse stage, though I suppose now that we're living together the risk is somewhat lessened.

Currently I have about 6 projects on the needles. The bigger ones go slowly because I have to put them down and go work on an instant gratification piece to keep from getting bored, but they move along here and there. I seem to be worst about finishing anything for myself, as is typical, but I hope to have a sweater or two ready by winter's end - or at least by next winter. :-)

Never, ever have I been as frustrated as trying to learn how to operate my new Bond Ultimate Knitting machine that I got at Christmas.

I learned to knit in college. A guy I knew, a fiddler in a local bluegrass band, made his own socks. He told me his mother taught him. He introduced us, and within weeks, she and I had made a trip to the yarn store to buy some Lopi, a pair of 10 1/2 circular needles, and a sweater pattern.

That was in 1982 - I still remember how difficult it was to learn to hold the yarn correctly, to be knitting smoothly along and then have a gap and suddenly forget the basics: does the needle go in the back or the front of the stitch? Is that a knit or a purl? 24 years later I just pick up yarn and flail about for a pair of needles and just start. No pattern, nuthin'. Pretty cool.